ELDER ABUSE IN OTHER COUNTRIES

Elder Abuse in Other Countries

Elder abuse in other countries

Rationale of the Study

The main rationale behind this research writing is to understand the different perspectives of elder abuses in different countries.

Discussion

Elder Abuse is an act that results in harm or threatened injury to a person 65 years or older. This website was designed to help services providers who come into contact with older individuals(Odujirin, 2003). Elder abuse is a hidden problem in all of our communities but especially I communities where seniors have recently emigrated from other countries or do not speak English as a first language(Pavel, 2006). Seniors in the Asian and Pacific Islander communities are much less likely to complain or report abuse(Bennett, 2008). Many barriers stand in their way preventing them from seeking help or believing that there is any help available(Box, 2008). First among the barriers is the need for culturally and linguistically appropriate services, something we call "cultural competence."

Until the advent of initiatives to address child abuse and domestic violence in the last quarter of the 20th century, abuse of the elderly remained a private matter, well hidden from public view(Pavel, 2006). Today, it is increasingly being seen as an important problem and one that is likely to grow as many countries experience rapidly ageing populations(Curry, 2004). It is predicted that by the year 2025, the global population of those aged 60 years and older will more than double, from 542 million in 1995 to about 1.2 billion.

Similar to other types of violence, abuse of the elderly includes physical, sexual and psychological abuse, as well as neglect(McCauley, 2005). Elderly people, though, are also vulnerable to economic abuse, in which others make improper use of their resources.

Information on the extent of abuse in elderly populations is scant. The few population-based studies ...